


The Man Who Played Pool with His Umbrella

by IdiotofCamelot



Series: The Emrys File [8]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen, Magic, Modern Era, really short, takes place at a bar, with an angry man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:15:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23428330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IdiotofCamelot/pseuds/IdiotofCamelot
Summary: This was prompted by the words "cue" and "umbrella". It wasn't meant to be a fanfic, but that's what it became.
Series: The Emrys File [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1639003
Kudos: 38





	The Man Who Played Pool with His Umbrella

In a smoky bar in the poor part of the city, a man was drying tin mugs with a rough rag. He was observing the strange scene that was unfolding before him. Two men were playing pool. This in itself wasn't unusual; it was the manner in which they were playing that was. One man – the older one with the grey suit who was a regular at this bar – was playing in his usual way. But the other man – a tall young man with raven-black hair, deep blue eyes, and high cheekbones who had never been seen in this bar – was playing with an umbrella rather than a cue. 

As their game progressed, things became very heated. The man in the grey suit, Mr Martins, had a fiery temper and always won his games because of it; no one wanted to have their nose broken like Joe Steiner. But this new man didn't seem to notice Mr Martins' brow growing redder and redder. The new man was far better than Mr Martins at pool and they both knew it. When the new man finally sank the eight ball, Mr Martins' temper exploded. 

"Why you little runt!" Mr Martins roared. "Get your lean hide out into the alley and I'll fix you good!"

The bar man and several patrons watched as Mr Martins dragged the young man out of the bar and into the alley. No one made a sound.

A few moments later, the young man came back into the bar without a scratch on him. He grabbed his umbrella from the pool table and walked up to the bar. 

"I'd like to pay for my drink," he said in a soft voice. "Oh, and I'll pay for Mr Martins drinks as well and anything else he gets." 

He handed the stunned bar man several twenties and left the bar as inconspicuously as he could. 

The bar man was still staring at the place where the young man had been when Mr Martins stumbled into the bar. It was quite a sight to see. Mr Martins' left eye was black, the right sleeve of his grey jacket was torn and newly stained with a dark unknown liquid, and he was slightly favouring his left leg. All the patrons stared in amazement. No one could believe that the slim young man could've bested Mr Martins in a fight when big Joe Steiner could not. 

Mr Martins limped up to the bar and sat in one of the available stools.

The bar man turned to Mr Martins and asked, "Is there anything you would like?"

"A beer," Mr Martins huffed, "Any beer. Please."

For the second time that night the entire bar went silent. That young man who played pool with his umbrella had taught Mr Martins some manners. 

_The End_


End file.
